Boy Who Cried Ogres (3)

Some people were just crazy… and some were Alchemists.

Owen Liddell had told Tobias to bring him into the Oaken Ashwoods, to find the cove of trees that put the young Hunter to sleep. And there it was in broad daylight—well, through the sunlight that got filtered inside of the forest.

The sight of soft blue trees and yellow star-like blossoms did not faze the young man in the slightest. Instead, if one had asked Tobias Summers what Owen looked like back then, he would have said that it was the look of a fascinated and eager child.

"So this is the tree that put you to sleep!" Owen Liddell stood at a safe distance away from the trees but couldn't help to grin slightly. Now this was actually marvelous. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen this in a botanical before.

He could put this to use.

Tobias crossed his arms and nodded. "Yes, it's strange. But I believe the reason for its unique ability to put creatures to sleep is that—"

"Smaller creatures die in their sleep, decompose and become food for these trees." Owen Liddell rubbed his chin. "You'd never expect something as pretty as this is carnivorous, and its flowers are eye-catching enough to lower your guard."

Tobias Summers stared at the city boy with a small frown, if only slightly impressed. "Have you seen this in a book about plants before?" he asked.

"No, not yet. But if this is truly not known—then it would be a significant discovery for those who write botanicals or compendium of plants." Owen Liddell wasn't sure if he had simply not seen this plant, but something as memorable as… a Night Tree? Something like this would have been documented. "You could get named after it."

"What?" Tobias glanced at him.

Owen scratched his head. "Let's see. I believe that the sage grass was called that way when a Sage discovered these plants who had been able to absorb ambient mana in its surrounding and then produced their own."

"I thought the sage grass was grown by the Sage after learning how to combine plants and magic." Tobias raised his brow. "But do you mean I could discover this tree and have it named as Summers Tree?"

"Combining plants and magic?" Owen rolled his eyes and motioned to the trees. "That's already been done by Druids and even Green Mages. Sometimes called Herbomancers. And why call it Summers? It knocks creatures out to sleep, possibly even death and you're naming it after summer."

"You know what I meant—but I don't even know why we're here." Tobias narrowed his eyes at him until he frowned. "Wait, you're not here to get samples, are you?"

Owen smirked and looked ahead to the numerous trees. "Ah, so you're not so daft after all."

"I told you, it knocked me out! One you step there, you'll breathe in—"

"No good herb gatherer for an Alchemist would go out without some sort of protective gear." Owen eyed the boy and shook his head. "It seems that this Alchemist Mossblossom has neglected to provide you with anything."

The man huffed at him. "And do you have some gear?"

"Why, I actually do."

"Tch."

Owen Liddell rolled his eyes and reached for his magical bag of holding. His grandmother had insisted on it, and he wasn't one to turn down useful items that helped him. He pulled out something that looked close to a fencer's mask—except it was made from some sort of glass.

"What the heck is that?" Tobias stared at it. "You look like you're about to go sea-diving."

Owen raised his brows and shrugged. "I suppose it does look similar to those who do water-diving, but those usually have an air spell of sorts attached to it. Whatever the case, I won't breathe in the pollen. I hope it's not effective on skin contact, but I believe it works when ingested—"

"Just go ahead and cut a tree branch." Tobias grumbled. "I don't need to hear all about your yappering, city boy. I know what you're trying to say."

"Fine, thank you for saving my breath from being wasted from you." Owen wore the helmet and headed for the trees. The undergrowth crunched lightly and was trodden underneath his feet as he arrived at the cove of these blue trees.

He stared up for a moment and took in the sight of the droopy leaves hanging from a rich trunk of a tree that were in a deep shade of cobalt blue. The leaves themselves were a soft blue, similar to early morning sky. But it seemed like the trunk itself was rich, almost bordering on obsidian.

Owen took out his dagger and scrambled up one of the present trees to find a thin limb or branch for him to cut. Mostly with flowers and he'd have to keep it protected or else Tobias and the rest would end up inhaling it by accident.

He sighed and with a quick decisive cut of a well-enchanted dagger—the short tree branch gave way and he caught it in his hand. It was small and easy to carry with just two blossoms for him to use.

When he looked at the sight of Tobias a distance away and watching him, it irked him slightly. Maybe it was just the way the guy got on his nerves and he had to tolerate him. If that guy could actually sit down and listen to him instead of trying to keep shutting him up, then maybe they'd actually get along.

Whatever the case, he jumped off the tree and back onto the ground.

He took one last look at the trees and then headed back towards the man and shook the branch. "We'll need to put this in a bag. Not mine."

Tobias looked at him, but wordlessly threw his satchel at Owen.

He caught it and placed the branch carefully inside of it and made sure the flowers dispersed little pollen inside of it. He then stepped out of the forest and nodded at him. "We're done. Let's get out of here."

Mission accomplished, and the item acquired successfully.